Firebomb ex bikie boss Scott Orrock cools off in jail cell

EX-BIKIE boss Scott Orrock could be out of jail by the end of the year for torching a police van outside his inner-city tattoo parlour.

But the government may be forced to pay the former Nomads national president thousands of dollars in court costs - despite his admission he set fire to the vehicle.

Judge Robyn Tupman yesterday sentenced the 47-year-old to at least 18 months behind bars for starting the blaze in April.

Orrock initially pleaded not guilty to intentionally destroying the van, telling a District Court jury he only lit the fire to protect himself and his family after he received threats.

The trial was aborted when police recovered CCTV footage from inside his Newtown tattoo parlour, Skin Deep, which showed him grabbing alcohol and a baseball bat just before the fire started.

Orrock later changed his plea to guilty.

Judge Tupman said the video could have been of "great value" to prosecutors - had it been retrieved from a computer hard drive much earlier. "It is unfortunate that such an important investigative step was not taken ... so that a great deal of public money and court time could be saved," she said.

Orrock was awarded up to $10,000 in costs for the mistrial, although he was also ordered to pay more than $60,000 in compensation for the damaged property.

Judge Tupman said she accepted the former bikie boss had made a spontaneous decision to set fire to the van when he felt he had no other option.

"This offence was a one-off ... and he is unlikely, on my finding, to behave in this way again," she said. Police started parking the van near his King St business during a spate of drive-by shootings linked to the Nomads and Hells Angels.

Orrock, who had become a "prospect" for the Hells Angels, walked into the local police station and demanded it be moved. Police refused and a short time later the van was found in flames.

Judge Tupman said Orrock had shown some remorse for his actions, even warning his twin daughters he would probably go to jail.

Orrock was sentenced to three years in jail, but with time already served will be eligible for parole in October.